Safety supports for burning cigarettes or cigars



March 19, 1957 E. w. TERNEY SAFETY SUPPORTS FOR BURNING CIGARETTES OR CIGARS Filed March 22, 1954 INVENTOR.

United SAFETY SUPPURTS FUR G CEGARETTES OR CKGARS This invention relates in general to ash trays, and an object thereof is the provision of readily insertable and removable cigarette clamping or holding means whereby a lighted cigarette may be firmly but releasably held above the receptacle, the said means being applicable to a suitably slotted base or receptacle.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a block or base which may be provided with one or more grooves in which cigarettes or cigars may be deposited loosely, and in combination therewith readily insertable or removable cigarette clamping or holding means as above-mentioned, the block being adapted to be inserted into the forward portion of an ash receptacle of the type usually found in automobiles, the block being either frictionally or otherwise secured in the said receptacle.

1 eferring briefly to the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a part of the interior of an automobile having a standard dashboard ash receptacle to which the instant invention has been applied with a cigarette shown in position in a holder.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the block or base including the cigarette or cigar holding or clamping means, forming the ash receptacle insert of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2, showing portions of the ash receptacle and dashboard in broken lines.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, the cigarette being shown in broken lines.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral indicates the base or block forming part of the present invention which may be made of any fireproof material and although the drawing shows the block rectangular in outline so that it may be accommodated to the conformation or" the ash receptacle 11 of the automobile, the configuration of the block may be difierent, either for use as a table unit or for adaptation to an ash receptacle of other than rectangular outline. The depth of the block 10 shown is such that its top surface will be approximatev 'ly flush with the top edges of the sides of the receptacle 11.

The block 10 has one or more spaced transverse grooves 12 adapted to receive cigarettes or cigars laid therein. The grooves 12 are separated by ridges 13. Longitudinal slots 14 are provided through the ridges 13 preferably near what, in the case of the block illustrated, to be applied to the ash receptacle 11, will be the innermost or rear edge of the block. The slots 14 are all equidistant from the rear edge 15.

The block 10 is hollow and the grooves 12 and ridges 13, comprising the top wall thereof, are integral with the opposed side walls 16.

A member 17, formed out of resilient wire or a preferably narrow band of resilient material. is pro-shaped tates Patent 0 ice into substantially the form shown in Fig. 4, that is, to

provide spaced U-shaped upstanding resilient clamps 18, each leg 19 of which is composed of a double layer of the band or wire. One or more of the legs 19 has a pre-shaped resilient hump 20, at the relative position shown in Fig. 4. The juxtaposed inner layers of the legs 19 of each clamp 18 are joined at the bottom by a bight 19a. The two extremities of the band, shown at 21, are outwardly curved and extend from the lower extremities of the outermost layers of the outermost clamps 18.

The clamps 18 are separated by an intermediate section 22.

The width of the clamps 18 is normally, owing to the resiliency of the member 17, somewhat greater than the length of the slots 14. The member 17 is positioned as shown by inserting the clamps 18, after squeezing the legs 19 closer together, upwardly through the slots 14, and in their uppermost position the humps 20 will have risen above the surface of the ridges 13 and prevent the clamps from falling or being pushed back down through the slots. Thus, the clamps 18 stand up above the top of the block 10, so that cigarettes or cigars, after they have been lit, can be clamped, substantially as shown, between the legs of the clamp and held above the block, with the burning end positioned overhanging the rear portion of the receptacle 11. Thus, if ashes should fall therefrom they will fall into the receptacle. Further, if the burning cigarette is not removed, it will in most cases become extinguished when the burning end reaches the clamp.

Obviously, modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

I claim:

In combination, a hollow base having side walls an a roof, said roof having at least two spaced slots extending vertically therethrough and lying in a common plane, and a member comprising a single length of narrow resilient material having at least two U-shaped upstanding clamps between the ends thereof and spaced from each other substantially the same distance as the distance between the slots, each of said clamps comprising two legs each having two layers of said material and a bight joining the lower portions of the innermost layers of the leg said member including an additional bight joining the lower portions of mutually adjacent layers of mutually adjacent legs of the clamps, the width of said clamps slightly exceeding the length of said slots, said member being positioned in said base with said clamps extending upwardly through said slots and said legs in frictional engagement with the portions of the base defining the ends of the slots, said first-named bights and said additional bight of the member being positioned under said roof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 832,086 Schweitzer Oct. 2, 1906 1,429,846 Coutts Sept. 19, 1922 2,029,192 Ray Ian. 28, 1936 2,275,749 Fisher Mar. 10, 1942 2,453,980 Hartman NOV. 16, 1948 2,569,021 Rozanski Sept. 25, 1951 2,594,211 Poupitch Apr. 22, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 327,064 Great Britain Mar. 27, 1930 448,168 Great Britain June 3, 1936 

